Remarkable Vets clinic cat takes on a new adventure

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Autumn is here and I love the look of the trees in Autumn. We went to the Arrowtown Autumn Festival on the week-end – Just Beautiful! It is always great to get out for a popular community event like the Autumn Festival with its parade, craft stalls and amazing ice cream……..I waited in the Patagonia line for what seemed like half a day for my coffee but it was yum so it was well worth the wait. The kids loved watching the parade and running through the yellow and brown leaves listening to them crunch and crackle under their feet.

Okay so obviously Diesel didn’t get to come with us to the Festival but the Autumn Festival is not the only thing that makes me know Winter is coming………It’s the cats, Diesel, Tiger-Lilly and Shadow have always all wanted outside at night about 9pm. But no they don’t all want outside at the same time that’s not a cats style, I have to get up three times. Last night however was different – None of them wanted to go outside, yes they went to the door, individually, I opened it and they all poked their head out but they decided not to go outside, I can only assume that the feel of the slightly cooler breeze was what swayed their decision (that and I really must get rid of the litter tray, it’s too convenient)

That was when I got a little insight into what is they do outside because they played. I got a cute little cat tunnel ages ago and its been in the hall way, Diesel used to hide in it when he first moved in to get away from the kids and the other cats. Tonight however he used it to play with the other cats. They ALL ran in and out of it and Tiger-Lilly is not little I never thought I would see her run, well except to her food bowl. They seemed to have some sort of organised game, there was structure – First Diesel went in tapped the hanging ball, the ball flicked out Shadow leaped on it gave Diesel a fright he ran out the other end to Tiger-Lilly who then got frisky and ran through the tunnel.

These cats have just been lumped together in this house and I never would have thought they would get on so well, I hoped they would just tolerate Diesel but they have embraced him. This is not normal behavior for cats, if clients asked in the past I have always told them cats do better alone or with a friend they met as a kitten – I was wrong, there are no rules each cat is different and I think these guys would hate to live alone.

I am quietly looking forward to winter, I look forward to more nights wasted just watching these three play and just quietly I also enjoy them keeping me warm at night too.

Diesel looked board, ok maybe he looked more relaxed than board. He was sitting stretched out on the lawn today in the sun. I had hung the washing out but before I had a chance to wind up the line Diesel arrived prancing around the hanging towels and because he was looking so frisky I thought I’d see if he wanted to play. I talked in an earlier post about how when Diesel was a kitten he often bought me items of washing from other neighbours so it seemed only fitting to see if he wanted to play with a pair of Ty’s socks.

He leapt in the air like a kitten, he got such a fright when I threw that sock. He stared up at me slightly annoyed at first then he turned and jumped at the sock again. I threw a peg towards him……

He paused, stalked it then he finally leapt on it and shook it as if it was a frightened field mouse. I’m glad it wasn’t a little mouse I hate it how cats torture their prey rather than just kill them quickly and I could see Diesel role-playing almost pretending the peg was a mouse. But when a cats prey is dead they often lose interest, you know if it’s not wriggling for freedom it is no longer fun and the peg was no longer fun, he needed something new to focus on and play with.

I should have wound up that clothes line while I had the chance, I missed my opportunity while he was playing with the peg but he was having too much fun I started it and I couldn’t spoil it for him now.

Gotcha! And with that the excitement was over, he had concurred the front lawn, shown a sock, a peg and now a towel who is boss. Thats right Diesel you’re the man!

Living a hectic life means sometimes forgetting to pause, reflect and just take pleasure in the simple things. My two children, two dogs and three cats ensure I am kept busy but sometimes I need to pause and just relax, ideally with a hot cup of tea and a fresh scone still warm from the oven or perhaps a wine but only if it’s after 12pm ;-). Which means when those heartwarming moments happen I think it is vital to stop and enjoy them. I stay sane by watching those moments, I give them as much time as I can which is sometime only seconds.

I don’t think I have given these ‘moments’ enough time, but since Diesel has been here I have been watching our beautiful animals more, I have always known they have unique personalities but I never really took the time to stop and smile at their honesty. Tiger-Lilly is a tricky personality to characterise, she is a little crazy at times but she is so cuddly and friendly and she accepted Diesel from day one.

Tiger-Lilly is Gorgeous! There is no denying it, okay she has a little weight issue but hey, who doesn’t. I watched Tiger-Lilly and Diesel play in the sun, it is these moments that I love as a pet owner. I love it how animals put a smile on our faces by just being their honest selves.

Was she flirting?

Hmmm I think she is.

Yes that is definitely what I think a cat looks like when they are flirting. Diesel’s new adventure is clearly all about keeping his two favorite girls Tiger-Lilly and Shadow happy and he has them wrapped around his little finger paw.

Cats are solitary creatures, the only ‘cat species’ to live in a pack are lions, we (cat owners) often have more than one cat but is this what they want? Does it make them happy? Well living with two gorgeous females seems to be making Diesel happy.

Shadow joined our family when Ruth from the Queenstown Cat Rescue told me about this beautiful cat that was left behind with her brother. Somehow, someone decided she wasn’t worth keeping, they left, just drove away one day never to return. I said to Ruth that I was interesting in a grey cat and grey she was. She is a little angel, I adore her and slowly Diesel and her are becoming friends.

She played hard to get at the start keeping her distance, she isn’t the kind of cat to jump into situations without thought, she is intelligent. She is loyal, non-cat owners don’t believe that cats can be loyal but they can, you just have to work harder, you have to earn it.

She flat-out refused to acknowledge him at the start………….

Diesel worked his magic, he inched closer and closer. Shadow however looked away giving the illusion she was uninterested. They were behaving like a couple of school kids, you know the old, I’m going to pretend I don’t like you trick. Yet neither of them ever hissed or growled, there wasn’t even the slightest sign of a hair being raised.

BOO! Oh Diesel, perhaps the art of surprise is not the right ‘move’ to use to woo her. Darn it! All that hard work was lost, he blew it. Diesel takes rejection well and their love story continues, how long it will take? Well that remains to be seen.

Yup, it’s Friday whoop whoop! The week-end has begun and for most, the fun has already started. For me that means enjoying a quiet bottle of my new favorite drink……..Rekorderlig’s Strawberry and lime Cider, yum. Diesel however has enjoyed a relaxing Friday afternoon doing what cats do best, nothing. Well he possibly groomed himself and moved around the house following the sun but all in all, he did nothing and I can’t blame him, in fact I am jealous.

A scratch pole, yes a simple wooden structure surrounded with carpet and a dense woven pad, oh and a very enticing hanging ball, is all it takes to entertain Diesel and his new friends for hours. They think this ‘toy’ is there for their pleasure and amusement but little do they know, I really put it there for the sole purpose of protecting my couch from there wickedly sharp claws. Okay it does both jobs, we are all happy, so with cider in hand I watch, I watch as these three ‘friends’ interact and play.

Diesel and Shadow played while Tiger-Lilly watched from the top position, perhaps slightly unimpressed with their rowdy behaviour.

As soon as I got close enough to get a great shot, I interrupted their play, Diesel froze and Shadow backed away out of shot, I found this very frustrating.